Not Yet
by VictoriaSW
Summary: What if Carley hadn't been shot? What if Lee had saved her? Fates will be changed. Rated T for language. There will be lots of CarLee, and lots of plot changes. I actually MADE the cover image on Paint. Do. Not. Use. It. Thank you.
1. Chapter One

**Hi guys! I was wondering today, what would happen if there was a way to save Carley? So I decided to write it. This will have multiple chapters.**

**I don't own The Walking Dead game (no matter how much I wish I did so I could bring Carley back somehow).**

"You think you're some tough bitch, don't you? Like nothing can hurt you. But you're just a scared little girl. Get the fuck over it. Take a page from Lee's book and try helping somebody for once."

Carley glared at Lilly with a fire in her eyes. Lee gave Carley a surprised look. Carley had always been brutally honest, even when it wasn't what she should've done. But that was just one more thing that made Carley unique and, although Lee hadn't admitted to any anybody else yet, one more thing that he loved about her. At that moment, Kenny stomped the head of the walker that had been caught under the tires. Blood sprayed out of it's skull and onto the dead grass next to the road.

Lee glanced back at Lilly. She still seemed very pissed off about what Carley had said, even though she deserved it. Lee noticed Lilly reach down behind her back.

Where she kept her gun.

Lee froze a moment in horror. What is Lilly going to do? Lilly never reached for her gun unless she meant it.

Kenny started back towards the group, "Now what the fucks the problem?"

"No!" Lee shouted as Lilly pulled out her gun, pointing it right at Carley's head. He stepped towards Carley and pushed her roughly to the side, right as a bang sliced through the air. He felt a horrible burning sensation spread like fire through the left side of his head, and he fell to the ground. The ringing in his ears masked out the panicky voices of the group. One voice stood out from the rest; Carley's.

"What did you do?!" she demanded, pushing Lilly onto the ground, pinning her shoulders and neck painfully.

No response.

"You BETTER pray Lee is alright, because if he isn't, YOU'RE going to be the one at the end of MY gun," Carley hissed as she leaned right in Lilly's shocked face.

Lee watched this display on the ground. He reached a quivering hand to the side of his head. He winced, and, pulling it back, saw it was covered in blood. The world blurred, and then there was nothing.

**Don't worry guys, I didn't kill him. Reviews always help!**


	2. Chapter Two

**Woo! Chapter 2! Sorry it took so long.**

**Once again, I do not own the Walking Dead or the game. :(**

Water splashed Lee's face, waking him up immediately. He spluttered and looked up, right into Carley's eyes. Her beautiful light brown eyes that shone with relief.

"Thank god. We thought you had up and died on us, Lee. You can't do that, understand?" Carley said in a soft, soothing voice like silk.

"I don't plan to," Lee rasped with a painful smile. His head still hurt like hell and felt wet and sticky.

Carley grabbed a red washcloth that was next to her as she knelt on the floor. Lee was lying on the couch in the RV, his head cradled by a pillow. Carley dabbed the washcloth on the side of Lee's head, and Lee realized that the washcloth wasn't originally red. He winced as the washcloth cleaned the side of his head, wiping up smears of blood.

"It's only a flesh wound on the side of your head and it went through your ear. This could've been a lot worse," Carley stated, but didn't elaborate. She didn't have to. When she was done cleaning the blood off of Lee's head, she stood up and, pausing a moment with a conflicted look on her face, kissed Lee gently on his forehead. She pulled away, smiling, and headed off into the front of the RV. Lee closed his eyes. God, he loved Carley. He hoped she felt the same way about him.

"Oh. So that's why you took that bullet," Lilly smirked, sitting at the table in the back of the RV on the opposite side of where Ben was sitting, his head against the table. Lee looked up Lilly, glaring.

She frowned, "Look, I'm sorry I shot you. I didn't mean to."

Anger overwhelmed Lee. He wasn't upset at Lilly because she had shot him. He was pissed at Lilly because he would've murdered Carley, _his _Carley, just out of false suspicion that Carley was the one who made a deal with those fucking bandits.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Lee said firmly, giving Lilly a contemptuous look.

"Look, I understand that I screwed up, okay? But Carley is a danger to the group, and needed to be dealt with," Lilly's voice started small, but ended with a bitter edge.

At that moment, Carley stepped out of the front of the RV where Katjaa, Kenny, and Duck were. The edges of her lips were tugged down in a solemn frown. She took a step towards Lee, but noticed a sleeping Clementine on the ground, curled into a little ball.

Carley quietly took off her purple jacket. She shook it off and gently wrapped Clem in it, picking her up. There was enough space at the end of the couch by Lee's feet for Carley to set Clementine down there. Carley adjusted Clementine's position on the cushions until the little girl looked comfortable. "I..." Carley looked up at Lee, then leaned down next to his ear and spoke in a soft, solemn voice, "I just found out that Duck has been bitten."

Lee looked up, startled. When had this happened? He had always been the one to notice things, but how could this have slipped past him?

"When..?" he inquired, frowning. Duck had Kenny and Katjaa both to look after him, and he still got bit. What if it was Clementine? She only had him to look out for her, and, to face it, he hadn't been doing a very great job. That woman - Jolene - had managed to steal Clementine's hat for God's sake. How close had Jolene had to get to Clem to steal the hat? Wherever Clementine went, that hat was always close behind.

"During the shoot out with the bandits. When the walkers started showing up," Carley responded, but after noticing Lee's long pause, questioned softly, "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay."

"Good. Keep it that way. Now I'm going to drive for a while so Kenny can take a break. You rest up," she said, turning around towards the front of the RV where the Kenny sat in the drivers seat.

"You sure you can handle driving? I mean, you put those batteries in the radio the wrong way. I'm not sure I can trust you around the RV," he chuckled quietly. Those damn batteries...

"Shut up."

**See. I told you Lee would be fine. :)**


	3. Chapter Three

**Hey guys! Sorry about another late chapter. My computer was being stupid and wouldn't let me do anything without being ridiculously slow. But now that problem is solved! Wooo! Also, who else but me has noticed that Duck looks a lot like Irresponsible Dad's kid in happy wheels?**

Lee watched Carley as she disappeared into the front section of the RV. A few moments later after she "persuaded" Kenny to let her drive, the man stumbled over to Lee. His whole face drooped with fatigue, mustache and all. He leaned against the wall, his hand on his forehead.

"Your girlfriend is one tough bitch," Kenny sighed. A small, artificial smile pulled at the side of his mouth, but his eyes were dark and cold, "She won't let me drive the fuckin' RV."

Lee looked up at Kenny, the surprise obvious on his face. Lee wasn't even completely sure if he and Carley were together. How in the world would Kenny even know?

Kenny smirked, "Yeah, I saw you two on the balcony at the motor-inn. She kissed you on the cheek."

Lee smiled involuntarily. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't even realized that Carley had liked him any more than a friend until that point. They had just been talking and she kissed him. He had always known he had feelings for Carley, but he hadn't acted on them. It shocked him that she was the one to make the first move but, after all, she _was_ Carley, and she was not one to sit around and wait when something could be done.

Lee's face flamed and he looked at his feet. Then, realizing that this was _Kenny _he was talking to, the same Kenny who had a bitten son in the front of the RV, he looked up.

"Kenny, I'm sorry about Duck-" Lee started, but was interrupted too quickly by Kenny.

"Duck is going to be fine. We'll find a doctor in Savannah and he will be fine, you'll see," Kenny's voice was decided and firm, but cracked when he finished his sentence. Lee could tell Kenny was hiding what he knew to be true.

Lilly, who had previously been laying her head down on the table, sat bold upright and looked at Kenny with wide eyes.

"Was Duck bitten?" she asked, getting the message. She sounded nervous.

"Like you would care! I don't want any of your shit. Duck is going to be fine," Kenny shouted at Lilly. He was glaring at Lilly, but his eyes betrayed what his voice would not. Defeat.

Lilly paused a moment, her eyes scrunching up with anger. Lee knew what she was going to say before the words made it out of her mouth.

"Like my dad?"

Kenny froze for a second. He had never forgotten about what happened with Larry back at the St. John's Dairy. It wasn't something that a person could forget.

"I did what I had to with Larry, and you know it," Kenny's voice was dangerous. No, he wasn't yelling or shouting; No, he didn't snarl or growl. His voice was bitter and flat. That was when you knew when to stop.

Lilly dismissed that common knowledge without a second thought and practically screamed, "You didn't have to kill him! He was still ALIVE!"

The next person to speak was, surprisingly, Ben. He had been quiet ever since Lee had been shot. He was sitting across the table from Lilly, his head softly banging on the hard black table top.

"Just stop fighting will you?! Every time you two are around each other you guys fight! Just STOP!" Ben shouted right when Lilly had finished her sentence. His head was off the table, a small red mark evident on his forehead. Silenced by Ben's outburst, Kenny and Lilly both looked at Ben in shock. Ben had _never _talked like that. Ever.

The RV suddenly jolted to a halt. Carley's voice rang out loud and clear.

"Guys. We have a problem."

**I will hopefully be updating again soon!**


	4. Chapter Four

**Hey! What a surprise! A chapter that isn't really late! Finally! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**I don't own The Walking Dead or The Walking Dead game. (Darn it :C).**

"Is there any way to get around it?"

Everyone in the group except for Lilly were standing outside. In front of them, train cars rose loomingly into the purple-gray sky.

Kenny looked back at Ben, "Doesn't look like it. On foot, maybe. Can't really afford to do that now," Kenny stated, dashing Ben's optimism.

Lee looked around for a moment. _This would be a good place for the group to rest_, he thought; lord knows how much they needed it. Brush surrounded the small clearing by the train, which would prevent walkers from sneaking up on them silently.

"This seems like a safe area. All this brush will stop anyone from creeping up on us," he suggested.

Kenny nodded and turned back towards the group, who were standing a few paces behind them.

"Lee's right. Everyone can relax. Me, Ben and Lee are going to look around the train. Tell us if you need anything," Kenny announced.

Lee watched as Katjaa carried Duck towards a small stump. Poor kid. His breaths were ragged and shallow, and his eyes were half closed. There was no way to tell how much time he had left.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Lee jumped as a voice next to him spoke softly. He looked to his left to see Carley looking up at him.

"I'm...okay, I guess. I didn't hear you coming," Lee replied honestly, knowing it was probably his injury affecting his hearing.

Carley reached up and skirted his injury lightly with her fingers.

"It's probably only temporary," she assured, seemingly reading his thoughts. Lee doubted that, but didn't say anything.

"You know, I never thanked you," Carley's smile brightened her face, and Lee couldn't help but stare at her lips.

"For?" he asked cluelessly, still staring.

Carley gently slapped his arm playfully, "For saving my life, you idiot!" she laughed.

Lee smirked, "I guess I did. So now you owe me."

Carley lifted her chin smiling, "Hold up a second, buddy. I don't owe you anything. I saved your ass twice, remember?" she finished her sentence with a smirk.

Lee grinned; yeah, she had.

"I guess your right," he admitted, the grin still pulling at the corners of his mouth. Carley shifted legs and placed a hand on her hip, her face changing from amused to serious.

"We should really go check out the train. The sooner we're back on the road, the better," she reasoned with a glance a Duck, who was in his mother's arms. Lee nodded solemnly. He turned back towards the train and climbed up into a car. He looked back and held out a hand to help Carley up, even though he knew she didn't need it. She took his hand in hers without hesitation and let Lee pull her into the train car. The pair stood for a moment, still holding hands. They looked at each other, the same '_this isn't over_' look on their faces, and let go.

Lee crossed the car to the open door on the other side. He looked back at Carley.

"I'm going to check things out over here. You stay and search the car for anything useful," he told Carley, and she nodded. Lee jumped out of the train car and was immediately taken aback by the large amount of wreckage. Cars lay crunched and forgotten on piles of rubble. Cement cylinders lay strewn about for no reason. Lee looked towards the car behind the one he was just in. It stood at an awkward angle, only one side making contact with the tracks.

"Derailed..." he said to himself as he crouched down to look at the wheels. He looked up to see the coupler. Shaking his head, he turned back toward the car the Carley was in. There was no way he'd be able to pull the coupling bar when it was broken like that. He stepped back into the car. Carley was still there, searching through an area in the back, consisting of a mattress, lots of garbage and a few crates.

"Find anything?" He asked her curiously. Carley nodded, handing him a bottle of water.

"Give this to Duck, will you? Katjaa mentioned in the RV that he looked thirsty," Carley suggested and continued rooting through the car.

"Sure," Lee agreed, crossing the train car towards her. He noticed that her hair was in her face, so he brushed it behind her ears. Carley looked back at him, her eyes glowing and cheeks tinged pink. Lee thought she looked adorable. He gently kissed her rosy cheek. Her skin was soft and warm. He pulled away hesitantly, and smiled at her-Carley returned his smile with a hug.

"Take care, okay?" she told him, the side of her face pressed against his chest.

"All right," he responded, stroking her hair softly, "I have to go now, though."

Carley nodded her response and slowly released him from her embrace.

Lee turned towards the exit on the side of the train car and jumped out on the other side. He spotted Katjaa sitting on a stump with a very miserable-looking Duck laying in her lap. As he started walking towards the group, he heard a quiet voice close to him call out softly.

"I did it."

Looked up to see Ben with his forehead in his palm, leaning against the rail on the train. Ben looked up at Lee, his eyes red and bloodshot.

"I was the one giving supplies to the bandits."


	5. Chapter Five

**I wasn't sure when I started this chapter, but I got more confident with it the more I wrote. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! (Have you noticed I am trying to make the chapters longer?) Reviews are always appreciated!**

Lee froze up mid-step.

"Ben..." Lee sighed angrily. Anger heated his blood, but also felt bad for the poor teenager in front of him. Ben's eyes were red and slightly swollen from crying.

Ben sniffed, "They said they had my friend. I didn't know what to do."

Lee frowned seriously, letting his pissed off side take control, "Ben, do you realize that you put everybody's lives at risk! What if I hadn't seen Lilly pulling out the gun? What would've happened, Ben!? What if the bandits ended up killing somebody? People could have _died_," Lee snapped. He wasn't angry about his injury, but Ben's foolishness had risked so many lives.

Ben, looking distressed, managed to choke out with a sob, "You're right, Lee...and Duck getting bitten is my fault, too. Every time I look at Duck or Carley or you, I feel guilty. I couldn't take it without telling someone."

Lee shook his head gently, his fit of rage subsiding, "No, Ben. It's true you put the group at risk, but Duck getting bitten was not your fault. It was nobody's fault. You understand?"

Ben nodded unconvincingly, and put his head back in his palm. Lee took this as a signal that Ben wanted to be alone to think, probably about the pain he has caused. Lee climbed the short ladder that hung from the side of the next train car and walked down the metal pathway that jutted from the bottom of the car. His hand trailed along the railing as he walked towards the front of the train. He opened the door silently and stepped inside. Kenny sat in the conductor's chair, a map held tightly in his hands.

"Hey, uh, Ken?" Lee asked gently, seeing Kenny's expression - a blank stare - as he gazed unseeingly at the map.

The older man jumped slightly and looked back at Lee.

"Oh. Hey, Lee," he muttered, returning his attention to the paper clutched in his hands.

Lee took a step forward, only to almost trip over a large object. Looking down, he spotted a rotted corpse lay a beside his feet, part of its head smashed in beyond recognition. Probably used to be the engineer, judging by what it was wearing. Used to be a person. Lee shivered and looked away. You never really get used to seeing things like that; thinking about their lives before the apocalypse made it even worse. He stepped over the corpse so he stood beside where Kenny sat in a chair.

"Kenny, what are you looking at?" he asked, looking at the map over Kenny's shoulder.

"A map," Kenny stated obviously in a tone that meant he didn't want to talk. Lee noticed a blinking button on surrounded by levers and knobs. His heart fluttered.

"Wait. Does this...work?" he asked, reaching towards the rapidly blinking button. This got Kenny's attention. The map was thrown across the room and Kenny was looking at the button in a split second. Lee took a breath and pushed it.

The train let out a loud hiss.

"I'll be damned. How the hell do we get it movin'?" Kenny questioned enthusiastically, leaning forward to check out the controls.

Lee studied the maze of random knobs, levers and buttons for a moment, "I don't know."

His eyes caught on a legal pad hanging on some sort of small metal separation wall. He leaned down to look at it more closely. The page was torn, but the top was labeled 'Engine Startup'.

"Shit, this is it! Instructions on starting the engine!" Lee paused a moment after his exclamation, "Damn. Pages are gone," he muttered frustratedly. Sure, the train worked, but how were they supposed to go anywhere when you can't start the engine?

Peering at the paper more closely, he noticed something.

"I can kinda see the indentations from the writing," he observed hopefully. But there was no way you could read them like that. Hell, he could barely see it.

Clementine! He realized suddenly as he remembered when he had seen the girl doing something called a 'leaf rubbing', where you put a leaf under some paper and shade the paper with pressure, and a picture identical to the leaf appears. Lee smiled - Clem would be so happy when he told her that she had given him the information that would help him get the train started.

Lee left the cab in a hurry, speed-walking down the metal pathway with a spring in his step. He climbed down the short ladder hastily, skipping several bars at once. He ran towards the where Clementine was sitting on a log in the clearing, along with Ben and Katjaa, who was clutching Duck in her arms. Lee felt guilt punch him in the stomach. He forgot to give Katjaa the water for Duck. Turning away from Clem for a moment, he crouched down next to Katjaa, looking at the little boy in her arms. Duck was ghostly pale and coughed feebly, his whole body shaking. It was obvious that he wasn't going to make it.

Lee took out the bottle of water which had been tucked in his pocket and presented it to Katjaa.

"Here. Carley found some water and told me to give it to you for Duck," he explained with a quick nod down at Duck.

Katjaa smiled appreciatively, "Ah, thank you. Perfect."

Lee was about to turn away when she said quietly, "He's allergic to bees."

Lee looked at her.

"Is that right?" he asked, confused.

"It's all I can keep thinking about. Like somehow that matters," she explained. Her eyes looked pained and her she wore one of the most defeated frowns Lee had ever seen. He realized then that she, unlike her husband, knew what was going to happen and wasn't trying to lie to herself.

Lee was worried about Katjaa. He had seen a fair share of emotional pain, but it paled in comparison to the expression of her face and the darkness in her eyes.

"It doesn't," Lee told her, looking at Duck. He could imagine Duck before, when humans roamed the earth instead of monsters. A smile always on his face, and always so loud. A little boy allergic to bees, but never was scared of them. Hell, Duck probably played with the bees. He also probably got in trouble with the teachers a lot for not paying attention (he never really does). Suddenly, Lee wanted to know everything about the boy in front of him, the boy in front of him whose breaths were coming in gasps and his fingers unable to twitch. He wanted to know everything before this little boy was gone.

In response to what Lee had stated earlier, Katjaa sighed, "I know. Well, I don't. But you're probably right."

Lee gave her a simple nod and stood back up. He still wanted to learn more about Duck, but he had things that he needed to do. Walking to Clementine, he squatted to be at eye-level with her.

"There's a notepad on the train. Do you have any pencils or anything in your pack?" he asked her.

"No, I wish. Maybe in the RV?" she suggested, but then added curiously, "What do you need it for?"

Lee smiled, "There used to be something written of the notepad that I need to know about. I remembered what you did with the leaf-rubbing and I thought it would work in the same way."

Clementine's face brightened, "Maybe when you're done with it, I could have it? I'm out of paper and there's all sorts of new leaves around here!"

Clementine's smile made Lee happier. If she could be cheerful at a time like this, then he could try a little harder.

Lee strode towards the RV, hoping that Clem was right. He pulled the door open and stepped up into the RV. He closed the door behind him, even though it wasn't necessary. Old habits die hard. He looked over to see Lilly, still sitting in the RV. He hadn't noticed until now, but her hands were bound behind her back. She glared at him, but remained silent.

_No wonder she's been in here the whole time_, he thought, _I was wondering why it was so quiet_.

Ignoring Lilly, he surveyed the room, searching for a pencil. He spotted one protruding out of the cup holder.

_Eureka! _He thought as he grasped it in his fist. No way he was losing this pencil.

He thought about when he was a history teacher in the UGA. Pencils were everywhere, lying on the ground uselessly or snapped in half. He never thought something as simple as a pencil would help him start a train.

He swiveled around, only to be startled by Lilly. She was standing up, her hands unbound. How had she undone them so fast? Was she faking it before?

"I'm leaving," she said simply with a slight turn of her head and shrug of her shoulders.

Lee stopped. What _exactly_ did she mean?

"I'm going to stop you," he warned her. No matter how she was going to leave, she knew that the rest of the group had let her stay for a reason. What reason, he did not know.

"No you're not. I'm not going to hurt you," Lilly responded darkly, "Come with me. We could take the RV right now."

There was no way he was going to leave.

"Come on, Lilly..." he reasoned with her, but she interrupted him before he could add to his statement.

"I didn't think you would say yes," she looked disappointed.

In an attempt to convince her to stay, Lee rationalized, "I can't let you take the RV. Don't be crazy."

She scowled, "You're not _letting_ me take it," her face fell, "I'm sorry, Lee. I really am."

The next thing Lee felt was Lilly's hands shoving him harshly backwards, his back hitting the door, and the ground rushing to meet him face-to-face.

**When I first typed this, I used Katjaa's name way to much. Its just really fun to say and type . Also, did you guys notice what I did? :) If you did, I didn't even do it intentionally. It worked out perfectly, though.**


	6. Chapter Six

**Hi! This chapter took forever, and I'm really sorry. I was working on trying to draw Carley in Paint (not very good right now) and managing my Howrse account, and just all around busy in my real life. Anyways, we have 1,424 views! OMFG! I never expected this...XD I wrote stories for fun before, but never thought about having them so other people can read. Thanks all of you guys for your reviews and views! **

**I don't own The Walking Dead Game (I mean, I HAVE the game, but I don't own the...well, you know what I mean, right?) No matter how many times I wish I did.**

_That bitch!_

Was the first thought that sprang into Lee's mind as his shoulder forcefully and painfully made friends with the ground. Lee heard small feet running towards him.

"Lee! Are you okay?" Clementine demanded, concern written clearly on her face.

"I'm...I'm fine, Sweet Pea," Lee reassured Clem while struggling to stand. The pain in his shoulder was fading fast, and he figured that the worst injury he'd gotten from that was just bruising, but the wind had been knocked out of him which takes a little while to recover from. Carley shot out of the train car she was in and was by his side in less than a second, questioning him as only a former reporter would.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Carley's eyes were wide with confusion and worry, her jaw slightly agape.

Lee nodded as she reached down a hand to help him up. He took it, and as soon as he was standing, he rushed back into the RV, Carley curiously at his heels. Lilly was sitting in the driver's seat, fumbling around the ignition.

"Where's the keys!? Kenny always leaves the keys in here!"

Lilly was talking to herself with no slight idea that anybody had entered the RV and was now standing close behind her.

Lee cleared his throat, making himself known. As soon as Lilly started to turn around, Lee grabbed her by the back of her jacket and lifted her out of her seat.

"What the fuck!?" she cursed, trying to reach behind herself and claw at Lee. When she realized that it was in vain, she settled for cursing him out while he dragged her out of the RV.

"Woah, woah. What the hell?" Kenny had come out of the train to see what the commotion was. He now stood with his hands clenched into fists and his eyes narrowed.

"Lilly," he growled, still gripping the back of the woman's jacket firmly, "tried to steal the RV."

Kenny gave an angry sigh, and glared at Carley.

"I told you we should've left her, Carley!" he hissed angrily, but whipped around to face Lilly, who was struggling to break free of Lee's grip on her jacket before Carley could reply.

Kenny jabbed a finger in Lilly's direction.

"YOU!" he shouted, his eyebrows drawn angrily and face red with rage, "You tried to shoot Carley and almost killed Lee! You were going to leave us out here without the RV! I know you still think I'm a monster, but I'm not. I'm not the fucking monster here. You are."

Lilly stopped struggling and her eyes glazed over. A quiet sigh escaped from her, barely loud enough for even Lee to hear even though he was right next to her, "I know."

Kenny smirked in victory, even though he didn't hear what Lilly admitted.

"Now, what are we going to do with this bitch? Make her leave _without_ the RV or - god forbid - keep her with us? " Kenny asked bitterly while gesturing at Lilly.

Although many members of the group were standing around, nobody said a word. That is, until Clementine raised her hand.

"Clementine?" Lee asked, curious as to what Clementine had to say.

The little girl shuffled her feet shyly, taking a deep breath before sharing her thoughts, "I think we should let Lilly stay."

Lee smiled at Clementine. She was so compassionate, and even after everything Lilly had done, she was still willing to forgive the older woman. Hopefully she would always be like this.

Kenny frowned but didn't say anything about Clementine's opinion. He wouldn't challenge a child, especially when his own was in such bad shape.

Kenny turned his attention towards the three people that were gathered who hadn't voiced - or implied - their opinions yet: Ben, Lee, and Carley. He raised an eyebrow in question. The silence was deafening. If they made Lilly leave, she would surely die. Nobody would give her any supplies. She would have nothing to defend herself with.

Lee suddenly remembered what he had said to Kenny after Shawn's tragic death, while they were hiding in his family's drugstore.

_"You didn't have a choice. You think you do when you look back on it. But in a moment, when things are really out of control? You don't have any choice."_

At least in the heat of the moment, you don't have to decide. Deciding someone's fate can haunt you. It can come up at any time in the future, taunting you and convincing you that you did it wrong. Sometimes when you make a decision that can mean somebody's death, it feels like you died right along with them.

_Doug..._

But other times, if you make the right choice, you can reflect on it and be grateful you don't have any ghosts.

_Carley..._

Deciding whether to save Carley or Doug had been the scariest moment in Lee's life. He felt cruel for not saving Doug, who had been so kind to him ever since they met. But with Carley...

Even before Lee had come up with a label that came anywhere close to what he felt for her, that feeling was there. The casual talk of former jobs, coffee, batteries, and even when Carley had admitted she had a small crush on Doug, just assured Lee of his feelings for that bad ass with a gun that had saved his life countless times. It was instantaneous, but misunderstood at first. When he had seen Carley surrounded by walkers and out of ammo, his fear for her made his blood run cold and his pulse freeze.

Even so, Doug was a great, smart guy who saved Carley's life in the first days. He deserved much better than to be devoured by walkers.

_I can't let somebody else die._

"I vote we let her stay, too."

Kenny's jaw dropped in shock. He had never expected one of the people he thought was reasonable to vote for Lilly to stay, especially not Lee.

"You know what? They're right," Carley was the next person to speak up, "Lilly should stay. Kenny, I let her come with us before for a reason."

Kenny's frown deepened, and he turned his eyes towards Ben was.

"What do you vote, Be-?"

Before Kenny could finish his sentence, Ben had walked off back towards the train.

Kenny scowled, "What the hell's his problem?" he asked to no one in particular.

Lee knew the answer all too well, but kept his mouth shut. If Kenny knew that Ben was the one giving the bandits supplies...well, they would probably never see Ben again.

"I guess this means Lilly is staying with us, then."

**Sorry I ended it here, guys. I couldn't keep it going and end at a good point without having it be almost double what I normally do. Reviews are much appreciated!**


	7. Chapter Seven

**I'm sorry for not updating lately guys. I was going to stop this chapter earlier, but then I realized that if I did it just would've been me pretty much re-telling the game. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Reviews and much appreciated! C:**

**Oh and sorry for boring you guys with the train instruction stuff, but I thought I might add in some of the stuff I was thinking at that part...make it seem more real. :) **

**I don't own The Walking Dead Game... D:**

"Perfect."

After the Lilly situation had simmered down, Lee had returned to the front of the train to finish his earlier mission while Kenny learned the controls. Lee hoped that finally he could get this train going without any more interruptions. Carley had earlier taken Lilly, with her hands bound _tightly_ this time, to the small clearing where the rest of the group was waiting to see what had happened. Carley had probably already broadcasted the news to everybody.

He held the notepad in his hands, the once invisible lettering now clearly marked in a yellowish white, contrasting with the pencil gray of the rest of the notepad. Even with the directions, he was confused. Were those levers? They looked like rectangles. It was obvious that whoever had made this was not an artist.

He turned around and faced the back wall of the room. It was separated into eight different squares, each one labelled one through eight. He took another glance at the paper in his hands. The first direction was labelled with six. He flicked his gaze at the sixth square on the back of the train.

Seven levers, side by side, all pulled down.

Taking another look at the notepad, Lee tried to memorize the pattern. _Okay, it's down, down, up, up, up, down, up. _

The first two were taken care of, so he moved on to the next. Lee flipped the third switch upward. A formerly dark light above the switch lit up. He quickly flipped up the fourth, fifth and last switch. The rest of the dash lit up.

"Son of bitch! Whatever you did lit the dash up!" Kenny exclaimed from his seat at the front of the train.

"So far, so good," Lee agreed. The next direction was labelled with five.

The fifth square was just on the left side of the sixth. It had two black dials, both vertical.

_Alright then, just turn the first one over, _Lee thought to himself as he reached out for the first dial. He twisted right it so it was horizontal, matching the directions.

The red light beside the dials turned off, and a green one above it flickered on.

"Now we're talkin'!" Kenny interrupted again. Lee was just glad that he could be enthusiastic about something.

Lee looked back at the notepad. The next direction was labelled nine. _Nine? There's only eight in here...maybe it's outside._

Lee opened the metal door and stepped outside. _It has to be somewhere around here..._

Looking to his right, Lee noticed a series of metal double doors. _Probably in one of those._

He took a step forward and pulled one of them open. Inside of the doors hung three very different wrenches. Looking at them, he realized that these would make great weapons. He reached out for the first one he saw. He was never one to use tools much, but he was pretty sure it was called a spanner. He weighed it in his hands, deciding that it was the perfect weight to carry around and still use as a blunt-force weapon. He tucked it in his back pocket. Lee closed the doors and moved left toward the only metal double-door that he hadn't opened. He grabbed both of the handles and tugged them open.

_Yes! _

Number nine was there. It was another dial, with four lights above it.

_Easy. Just turn it left, then turn it right._ Lee reminded himself as he grasped the dial between his fingers. He twisted it left until it was horizontal, then the reversed direction.

The train hissed to life. Kenny stepped outside from the front of the train, a wide grin spread across his face, "Holy shit, we're golden!"

Lee nodded. Finally something was going their way, "Yeah we are. Golden. Man, feels good."

Kenny turned his head, looking up at the sky, "Let's fucking enjoy this."

He paused a moment, then turned back towards the cab of the train, "C'mon. Let's see if she'll move."

Lee followed him back to the front of the train. Kenny sat himself down in the engineer's chair.

"It's all yours," he said, turning to face Lee. He leaned away, giving a small gesture at the throttle.

Lee extended his hand and pulled it. The train started to roll forward. Lee grinned and was about to comment when it suddenly jarred to a halt.

"Of course, we're still attached," Kenny gave a frustrated sigh, "Can you go find out where we're stuck, and get us UN-stuck?"

"Yeah," Lee replied, turning around and exiting the cab. He hurried down the walkway and climbed down the ladder. The sooner he could get this train going, the sooner they could be safe in a boat. Judging by the color of the sky, he had a feeling that it would be getting dark soon.

Having been lost in thought for a moment, he jumped when a hand was placed lightly on his shoulder.

His head whipped around to see Carley, an amused grin playing at her lips and spreading to her eyes.

She laughed lightly, "I knew I was scary, but not THAT scary."

Lee chuckled, blushing in embarrassment at how easily she had startled him, "You surprised me, that's all."

Carley's light laugh once again bubbled from her mouth, "Sure," she joked, pursing her lips. Her smile remained but her eyes shifted from amusement to curiosity, "So, what happened? I heard the train start moving; does it actually work?"

Lee nodded, "Yeah, it works, but Kenny says we're stuck somewhere."

Carley seemed to consider that a moment, "So...do you know a lot about trains?"

Lee smiled, "Hell no."

"Well that's reassuring."

"I think Kenny's got it under control."

"Good. If you can't trust me around the RV, then I at least have the right not to trust you around a freight train."

Lee laughed again; Carley seemed to make him do that a lot lately.

Carley's gaze shifted from Lee's eyes to the left side of his head, "How's your head? Does it hurt? Can you hear well?"

Lee realized that he had actually forgotten about his wound, "I'm fine. I completely forgot about it, actually."

"That's quite a thing to forget, Lee," she teased.

Lee smiled, "Yeah, I guess it is. But it's better than feeling it, right?"

Carley nodded slightly, smiling in relief.

"I'm gonna go see where the train is stuck so we can get going," Lee told Carley, slightly gesturing with his head towards the train car.

"Alright," she glanced back towards the clearing where Clementine sat on a log. Pausing a moment, the smile on her face disappeared and was replaced by a pained expression, "She...she still doesn't know that Duck is bitten. I...you should tell her. Or I can. I - I don't know."

Lee didn't want to have to tell Clementine that Duck was bitten, but he couldn't put that burden on Carley. Clementine needed to hear this from him - someone she had grown close to.

Hopefully Carley could be that close to Clem in the future, but for now, it had to be him.

"Are you okay?" Carley asked gently, Lee having been quiet for a while.

Lee cleared his throat quietly, "Yeah, I'm okay. I'll tell her. But I have to get this train going first."

Carley gave a single nod and turned back towards the clearing. After a moment of hesitation, she started back towards them.

Lee had to tear his gaze away from her as he made his way towards the train car. He swung himself into the car, and stood up. He crossed it directly, his gaze firmly set on getting the train loose.

He jumped back out on the other side, where he had seen the coupler. He walked the few feet to the back of the train-car, where the coupler was located.

When he had checked it before, it was rusted and stuck with dirt to the point it wouldn't budge. But most of it had been knocked off when the train strained against it.

Looking at it, Lee realized that he could use the spanner he had found earlier to pry the coupler pin out.

He reached behind his back and pulled the tool out of his pocket. Jamming it between the coupler bar and the small metal piece below it, Lee tilted the top of the wrench up. The coupler pin lifted slightly. Lee used his hands to lift it all the way.

Finally, they could get this train going. Lee tucked the spanner back into his pocket and climbed back into the train-car. He was halfway across when a gruff growl caused him to freeze.

Fuck...walker.

**Don't kill me. I know Chuck is supposed to be in this part.**

**Or is he? Or maybe he isn't? :) I have my plans...**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Holy crap! 3,386 views! Thanks SO much guys! I really appreciate it, and all of your reviews!**

**This story is moving so slow. I'm sorry about that guys. I have huge plans for the train and everything after that, so hopefully I can get some interesting stuff started soon! I was going to end this chapter a lot later, but then it would've been super long and take me forever to update this. I edit the game where I want to in this story, so obviously it's not the same. I try to keep some dialogue and most events, though. ****Anyways, enjoy! (Oh, and by the way, I found my cat! :D)**

**I don't own The Walking Dead game. :C**

Lee attempted to fish his wrench out of his pocket in a panic. His hands were clammy and he could've sworn he felt the immanent death hanging over him. His fumbling hands finally grasped the spanner as he yanked it out of his pocket. He whirled around to face the sound, holding his weapon high over his head.

He expected to see a rotten, bloody walker about ready to chew his face off, it's dead fingers reaching out like spindly spider legs.

Instead, there was a man who appeared to be in his sixties, laughing so hard he was doubled over. He was covered in smears of dirt and his dingy gray hair was tangled.

Lee paused a moment, lowering his weapon to his side and eyeing the stranger with mistrust.

"Who the hell are you?" Lee demanded sharply.

The old man looked up, "Name's Chuck. Charles, if you're fancy," he introduced himself in a heavy southern accent.

Lee scowled, "And would you mind telling me why you tried to scare me like that?"

Chuck scratched his matted beard between his fingers, "When I talked to your group out there, one of 'em told me that it'd be funny if I scared ya'," he said, "She wasn't wrong," he added with another snicker.

Lee cradled his forehead in his palm, but couldn't help the smile that forced itself onto his face.

"Goddammit, Carley," he chuckled to himself.

Realizing Chuck was still there, Lee looked back up at the man, "So, I take it you've met the group?"

Chuck nodded, "Already met everyone outside; they all warmed to me right quick in direct sunlight."

As if to make a point, Chuck hopped out of the train car and started towards the group. Lee followed after a few moments.

Clementine instantly sprang out of her seat on the log with a joyful smile, "You met Chuck!"

Lee glanced at Carley, who had been sitting on the log next to Clem. She smirked triumphantly.

Lee looked back down at Clementine, "Yeah...I did."

Katjaa looked up from where she was sitting on a tree stump, cradling Duck in her arms.

"It's so nice to meet someone that's normal for a change," she complimented.

Clementine's smile grew as she looked up at Lee, "He gave us candy! Ben too!"

Ben awkwardly looked up from his spot on the ground, where he was eating his candy. His face was flush with embarrassment. Lee found it confusing how the teenager who betrayed the group by giving bandits supplies behind everybody's back could still act so much like a young child.

Lee lifted his eyes from Ben and back to Chuck.

_What is he trying to do here? I don't know if I trust him..._

"What's your game, man?" Lee asked, turning to the old man.

"Keepin' alive," Chuck answered simply.

Lee could understand that. Anybody who was left in this world was trying to stay alive...most with very little success.

"That's not bad," Lee approved.

Chuck grinned, "I like it."

Lee suddenly realized that Kenny might not be so keen about Chuck, "You met Kenny?"

"Sure did," Chuck replied, sitting down on a log, "Man shares my love of the road."

Lee almost laughed at how ironic that was, "That's for certain."

Duck coughed feebly, gaining everybody's attention.

Chuck's smile was replaced by a concerned frown, "I'm awfully sorry your son's not feeling good," he directed his apology at Katjaa.

Katjaa managed a slight smile, "I appreciate your concern."

"Well, with a little TLC I'm sure he'll be fit as a fiddle in no time," Chuck reassured her, "And I can offer y'all whatever I got, although it ain't much."

Katjaa looked at him gratefully, "Thank you...we'd like to do the same."

Kenny had retreated from the train cab and was now standing with the rest of the group.

"Why don't we hold off on..." Kenny started, but was interrupted by his wife.

"Stay with us. We'd like the company," Katjaa offered Chuck, giving Kenny a challenging glance.

Kenny stayed silent for a few moments, then turned around and went back into the train. Chuck pulled out a guitar that Lee didn't notice he had and started strumming. Clementine seemed to enjoy the music as she listened, smiling.

Lee didn't want to ruin the moment, but he had to tell her that Duck was bitten. This might be the last time he'd be able to before they get on the train and head for Savannah.

"Hey, Clementine...can I talk to you for a minute?" Lee asked softly, trying not to sound solemn but failing miserably.

Clementine got to her feet, her smile indicating that she was unfazed by Lee's tone, "Sure! What do you want to talk to me about?"

Lee looked from Clementine to Carley.

The woman gave him an encouraging nod, her mouth drawn into a line.

Lee led Clementine a little ways away from the group so they were still in sight but out of clear earshot.

Lee squatted so he could be eye-level with Clementine.

"Clem," he started, "there's something you should know. Duck was..." Lee's sentence faltered, "Duck was bitten."

Clementine's expression faded into a deep frown and her eyes darkened.

"I..I don't feel good," she whimpered, her eyes glistening, "Does that mean Duck is going to...to..."

Lee placed a hand gently on Clem's shoulder, "I'm really sorry, sweet pea," he soothed, pulling her into a hug. She reached her arms around him and hugged back.

Clementine sniffed, letting go, "So, is that all you want to talk about?" she asked, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Yeah, honey," Lee answered, "Let's get back to the group."

Clementine and Lee walked together back to the clearing. Clementine sat down on the log where she was before. Unlike earlier, she was quiet and her eyes were downcast.

Guilt gnawed at Lee's stomach. He never wanted to make Clem feel bad, but she needed to know what happened. He took his own seat beside Carley.

Carley leaned over and whispered in his ear as to not interrupt Chuck's music, "You told her?"

Lee nodded subtly, "Yeah. She needed to know before..."

_...before Duck dies._ Both of them knew what the rest of the sentence would've been.

The pair stayed silent for a while.

Lee realized that he hadn't seen Lilly since earlier that day, "Where's Lilly?" he asked Carley quietly.

"I bound her hands with zip-ties instead of cloth this time, then put her back in the RV," she answered, "And don't worry, the keys are still in my pocket. She won't get anywhere."

"Where'd you get the zip-ties?" Lee asked in a whisper. Zip-ties could be used for a lot of things, and he could probably use them to make a utility belt with the rest of the wrenches he saw.

He noticed Carley's cheeks redden slightly and her eyes go wide, "I...found them...in the motel..." she muttered just loud enough for Lee to hear.

It took a moment for Lee's brain to register that she had been staying in the honeymoon suite. He couldn't help but chuckle a little bit.

Carley elbowed him lightly, containing her own laughter, "Hey, I thought they might be useful for something, don't think like that," she mock-scolded quietly.

Lee glanced towards the RV, his smile wiped from his face, "Have you talked to her?" he whispered curiously to Carley, referring to the woman inside the RV.

"I have," Carley responded, "and of course she still thinks I was the one to give the bandits supplies. You were probably right; it could've been someone sneaking into camp."

Lee risked a quick glance at Ben, who was still sitting on the ground. Their whispers couldn't be heard by the rest of the group, so Ben had no idea what they were talking about.

Ben put Carley's life at risk; Lee had to tell her.

"Listen, Carley," Lee started in a very serious whisper, "I..I know who was the one giving the bandits supplies."

Carley's skin paled and her eyes widened in shock, "Who...?"

"Ben," Lee sighed, "He told me earlier on the train."

Carley's gaze floated to Ben, "He's just a kid. I can't believe he'd do something like this," she breathed.

She paused for a moment, turning and looking at Lee thoughtfully, "We can't tell anybody yet. If Kenny or Lilly knew..."

"...they would probably kill him," Lee finished her sentence. Lilly had tried to shoot Carley out of just _suspicion. _If she knew it was Ben-

Lee wasn't able to finish his thought as Kenny exited the train and called out to the rest of the group, "Alright everybody! Let's get this son of a bitch movin'!"

**Carley and zip-ties, huh. ;D Sorry for any mistakes, I was too tired to re-re-ead and re-edit. :P**


	9. Chapter Nine

**Hi again, guys! I wrote another chapter. Sorry this one took forever. It's also kind of short. Sorry. I was going to have it around twice as long, but I decided to split it in half so you guys get another chapter. Anyways, hope you enjoy! Sorry there isn't much change from the game in this chapter. **

"We don't got much left, so just gather whatever you have," Kenny instructed, having checked to make sure the coupler was loose. He now stood between the group and the train, "Let's go."

Kenny pivoted and made his way to the traincar. Clementine eagerly sprang from her seat and rushed towards the car, the rest of the group following behind a bit more slowly.

Carley nudged Lee's shoulder, "I've got to go get Lilly," she informed, "Don't let Kenny leave without us." She broke off from the rest of the group and walked towards the RV. She opened the door and disappeared inside.

_Maybe I should come with her, _Lee thought to himself, _in case she can't get Lilly to come out of the RV._

He started to take a step in the RV's direction, but the door swung open. He was shocked to see that Lilly was voluntarily exiting the vehicle, despite the wicked glare she threw at Carley, who was standing close behind her to make sure she didn't bolt. Lee watched, waiting for the two to get close to him before turning back towards the train.

Nobody had gotten in yet. He hurried towards them, not wanting to waste any more time.

Kenny had fixed Lilly with an untrusting stare, but looked at Chuck after a few moments.

"Want a ride?" he offered, gesturing at the train with his left arm.

Chuck frowned, "Well, it sounds like you're takin' my home," he answered.

Kenny squinted, his own frown growing, "So that's a yes, then?"

Chuck glanced at the train, "Haven't found anythin' better for keeping the creepy-crawlies out than that boxcar."

Chuck turned away from Kenny and hoisted himself into the boxcar.

Clementine, who had been staring at the ground solemnly, looked up at Kenny, "Duck's sick," she said, her frown breaking Lee's heart. He guessed that she had also noticed that Kenny seemed to be ignoring the fact that his son wasn't getting any better; as of the moment, Duck was being held by Katjaa so his head hung over his mother's back. His eyes were barely open and his breathing seemed to be labored.

Kenny's eyes widened a moment before they darkened with anger.

"Get on the train, Clementine," he spoke bitterly, and all but spat out the words. Clementine's frown deepened, but she still lifted herself into the traincar.

Lee was filled with rage. How could Kenny speak to Clem like that? She was merely trying to get him to face the facts in her own little way. He was about to tell the man exactly what he thought of his tone, but held back. Kenny was already going through enough, and fighting wouldn't help anybody.

Katjaa looked at her husband, "He _is _getting sicker," she told him, her eyes clouded with greif. Duck was slumped over her shoulder, and she was holding him as gently as she would hold a fragile baby.

Kenny's already fowl expression deepened, "Let me look at 'im."

He took a few steps around Katjaa to get a good look at Duck's face. The young boy could barely lift his head slightly to look at his father. He had dark circles under his eyes and his skin was pale. He gave a silent cough that wracked his whole body.

Kenny's eyes grew wide.

Lee didn't want to think about Duck turning, but he knew they couldn't hide from the truth forever, "We can't ignore this. Look at the kid, Kenny. This is happening," Lee knew that they needed to face the facts in order to survive, but he still felt horrible for Kenny. He couldn't imagine what he was going through.

Kenny directed his anger towards Lee, "Ain't shit happening. And if it were, what would we do here?" he fumed, "We get on the train and we find something better. THAT is the plan."

"I think Lee just wants to talk it through," Katjaa interupted. Lee was thankful that somebody could listen to reason.

"It's TALKED THROUGH. Get on, Kat," Kenny rejected his wife's statement in a harsh tone.

Katjaa frowned and casted her gaze towards the ground.

Kenny turned around so he wasn't facing either of them, "I'll be up front. I don't want to hear any nonsense until we get where we're goin'," he ordered and started towards the front of the train.

Katjaa glanced at Lee apologetically, her once light eyes dark with sorrow. She paused a moment before joining Chuck and Clementine inside of the boxcar.

Lee had forgotten that Carley and Lilly were standing a few feet behind him until Carley spoke up.

"The man has a right to be upset, but he doesn't have to be an ass," Carley voiced, her eyes narrowed in the direction of the cab.

Lee turned his head towards her, nodding in agreement.

Carley turned her attention to Lilly.

"Do you need help getting in the boxcar?" Carley offered, shifting her gaze to Lilly's hands which were still bound behind her back.

Lilly's glare grew more menacing, "No," she hissed, and stalked towards the boxcar's opening. She turned so her back was facing the inside and she jumped up, trying to sit on the edge. It took a few tries, but she managed it. She attempted to swing her legs up, but lost her balance. Carley caught Lilly's arm before she fell off completely to help her regain her balance. Lilly shook it off rudely and scooted into a corner of the car

Carley rolled her eyes and climbed into the car with ease.

_Lilly needs to realize that people are trying to help her, _Lee thought to himself as he climbed the ladder to get into the cab so he could help get the train going, _she can't act like this forever_.

Lee opened the door to the cab. Kenny was sitting in the engineer's chair, his expression unreadable. He made a small gesture with his hand towards the throttle, and then crossed his arms.

Lee pulled the throttle until it made a deep clicking noise. The train hissed to life once again, and started moving forward. Lee grinned. Now they could get to Savannah and find a boat. They'd be safe.

But in this world, safety is _always_ temporary.

**If you couldn't tell, I ship CarLilly too. ;D I really need to do a fic about them...*mind gears start spinning*...**


	10. Chapter Ten

**I know, I know. I'm evil. I'm sorry. D: I really did want to upload this chapter sooner, but guess what? LONG CHAPTER! Yay! Sorry it's pretty depressing, but the whole _game_ is, really. Anyways, enjoy this chapter and review if you would like!**

**KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA KATJAA! (Needed to get that out of my system. xD)**

**I don't own The Walking Dead. I guess shooting stars don't always work. .**

The train rumbled as it flew down the tracks. Lee leaned against the wall inside the boxcar. He was watching Clementine, who was huddled up with her knees against her chest and her sad gaze focused on Duck, who was in his mother's arms. He had gotten much worse in the little time after they got the train started.

Chuck was standing in the middle of the car, surprisingly balanced compared to the rest of the group who were either sitting in a corner like Carley, Lilly and Katjaa, or looking out the open sides of the boxcar like Ben. Probably because he had lived on a train before all this even happened.

"So, how'd you get that nasty wound on your head?" Chuck asked Lee, breaking the silence that had surrounded the group since they got the train going.

"Hmm?" Lee snapped his gaze from Clementine to Chuck. He hadn't really been paying any attention to anything but Clementine. She hadn't said anything since earlier that day, and Lee was getting worried.

"I asked ya how you got the wound," Chuck repeated, tipping his head slightly out of curiosity.

Lee's gaze traveled across the car to Lilly, who was sitting in a corner with her knees tucked against her chest, her hands still bound behind her back. She hadn't even seemed to notice anyone talking around her, lost in her own world.

"Shooting accident," Lee answered Chuck, choosing his words carefully as to not lie but also trying not to upset Lilly any more then she already looked. But she stilled seemed unfazed, her eyes dark.

"Ah. Pretty nasty accident," Chuck commented skeptically.

"Yeah," Lee turned away, wanting to avoid any more questions. Not that he disliked Chuck, but he wasn't in the mood to talk. All he could think about was what was going to happen to Duck...soon, judging by how the boy's eyes were drooping and his coughs were getting more and more feeble.

Katjaa cradled him in her arms. Her shoulder was covered in blood from where Duck's head was lying limp against her shoulder. The only indication that he was still alive were his shallow breaths and his barely open eyes.

Duck suddenly convulsed with a loud cough that shook his whole body. Scarlet blood trickled from his lips as he turned head turned weakly, more by gravity than conscious movement.

"LEE! Lee, I need you right now. I need you to go get Ken," Katjaa's tone was one of concealed panic.

Lee quickly crouched beside her, "What's-"

"Would you get that off his face? My hands are full here," Katjaa interrupted, pulling Duck closer to her tenderly.

Lee picked up the rag Katjaa had been using to wipe Duck's face earlier.

She looked at Lee, "Thank you. Could you just get that off his face, please?" She turned her head to look at her son.

Lee reached out with the rag and gently cleaned the deep red stains around Duck's mouth and chin.

Katjaa shook her head subtly, her frown deepening, "He's out of time," she looked up at Lee, her expression tired and eyes dull, "We need to stop this train."

"Okay," Lee agreed standing up, thinking about how to break the news to Kenny. What way are you supposed to tell a man that his son is dying? Lee didn't know what to say to him that would make any of this better.

She seemed to notice his pause, "Please," she added, looking down at Duck.

Lee turned towards the door at the front of the car. Carley, who was sitting in front of it, scooted over so he could exit and gave him a look that said,_ 'I'm sorry you have to do this.'_

She then looked at a pale and trembling Duck, grief darkening her gaze. Her eyes moved back to Lee.

_'So, very sorry.' _

Lee tipped his head down slightly in acknowledgment, and then stepped out of the boxcar.

Around the train, the world flashed by in a blur. Trees passed as splotches of brown, orange and red.

Lee carefully stepped over the separation between the boxcar and the cab. As he made his way down the narrow metal path that served as means to get between the front room of the cab where Kenny was controling the train and the back, Lee though about what he would tell Kenny. He knew there was no way to make it better, but he didn't know what the best way to inform him would be. He couldn't just say, 'Oh hey Kenny, your son is dying and we've gotta stop the train to take care of it, thanks!'.

But what really_ is _there to say? _This is impossible._

Lee found himself standing with the cab door right in front of him. He pulled it open and stepped inside. Kenny was sitting, staring straight ahead as if he hadn't noticed Lee came in.

Lee settled for a simple, "You need to stop the train."

Kenny looked back at Lee and glared. Ignoring him, he turned back around and set his eyes firmly on the tracks ahead.

Lee realized that he was still clutching Duck's bloody rag in his hand.

"Kenny," Lee tried to get the man's attention, holding the rag out in front of him, "KEN."

"What the hell's that?" Kenny demanded, anger underlying in his tone.

"Your son's blood," Lee answered, hoping Kenny would get the message.

Kenny seemed to ignore that as well and narrowed his eyes, "Get out of here, Lee."

"You know he's dying," Lee felt horrible for saying it, but Kenny needed to finally face the facts.

"Nobody knows shit! He'll be fine," Kenny protested, his attention returning to the path in front of the train.

"Wake the fuck up, man," Lee pressed. Kenny needed to realize what was happening before it was to late.

Kenny's head turned to give Lee a menacing glare, "What's the goddamn deal? He's a little sick, but we can't just quit," Kenny paused a moment, but then continued in denial, "It's just a scratch! He's not like the others. Jesus, all y'all are just makin' it worse!"

Kenny _needed_ to see what was right in front of him.

"You're in denial!"

Kenny's face contorted in rage, "And _you've _given up! On Duck, on EVERYONE!"

"Stop it, goddamnit!" Lee shouted. No matter how much sympathy he had for Kenny right now, he knew that his mind was clouded and he needed to snap out of it.

"Fuck you, Lee," Kenny hissed.

"You're gonna listen," insisted Lee.

Kenny stood crossly and faced Lee, a challenge in his eyes, "Or what?"

Lee could see that he was looking for a fight, which wouldn't help anyone right now.

"Calm down and-" Lee tried to remedy the situation but Kenny cut him off.

"How the fuck do you 'calm down' after a day like today?"

"By talking to your friend," Lee suggested calmly, despite the nagging feeling that Kenny would arrogantly ignore him and start becoming violent. But, to his surprise, Kenny sank back into his seat.

Taking this chance to talk to him, Lee started, "You think you're the reason Duck was bitten. Like you had this coming, or something," Lee was pretty sure that Kenny still blamed himself for Shawn's death, "You didn't kill Hershel's son."

Kenny sighed defeatedly, "Yes, I did. And now it's catching up to me."

Lee shook his head, "That's not what went down," he assured Kenny, "You looked out for your kid and a bad thing happened to someone else's."

Kenny buried his face in his hands, "There ain't no way this world lets my son live when I helped put someone else's in the ground."

"That's not the way it works. You know that," he said, placing a hand on Kenny's shoulder.

Kenny looked up from his hands, frowning with his eyes somber.

"Stop the train, man," Lee finished, seeing that Kenny wasn't hiding his despair behind rage anymore.

Kenny paused, his gaze falling to the floor. He exhaled and reached out for the brake and pulled the lever. The train slowed, screeching, and then finally came to a stop.

Kenny paused a few moments, his hand still resting on the brake, before standing up, exiting the cab and climbing down the ladder. Lee followed shortly after.

Katjaa was already standing outside of the car. Duck was laying inside by the opening on the side, his breaths small and strained. Clem was sitting next to him, her legs hanging over the side, swinging gently. Her eyes were trained sadly on Duck. She was losing her friend soon, and she knew it.

Both Kenny and Lee had made their way next to the car. Katjaa turned her attention from her son to Kenny, "Ken. It's...I think it's time."

Kenny closed his eyes, his expression clearly pained. He opened his eyes after a long breath.

He turned towards Chuck, who had also gotten out of the car, "The boy's been bit, in case you haven't figured that out," Kenny informed.

Chuck frowned and turned his head towards the ground, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you need?" Lee asked solemnly, looking from Duck to Kenny.

"I...I..." Kenny was at a loss for words.

Lee glanced towards Kenny's wife, "Katjaa?" he asked. He knew what had to be done, but...there was no simple answer to this.

Katjaa shook her head gently, squeezing her eyes shut, "It's time to..." she paused, giving a depressing sigh, "...this is not possible," she finished, opening her eyes and sniffing.

Kenny's eyes met his wife's, "What are we gonna do?"

Katjaa stroked Ducks hair in a motherly way, "We can't allow him to become one of those..._things_," she decided, holding back tears.

"But what if...what if he doesn't?" Kenny asked, back to hopeless 'what-ifs'.

Katjaa's glistening eyes spun towards her husband, "Kenny, I love you very much. I love our son more than life itself," she blinked the tears from her eyes, not allowing herself to cry, "But I need you to hear me. What you are saying, that he may not turn, is foolish."

"But-" Kenny started stubbornly, once again trying to not face the truth.

"No," she interrupted bravely. She hadn't been hiding the truth from herself, and needed Kenny to realize what was happening.

Kenny's eyes fell, "There's..." he trailed off for a moment, "Come on, Kat..."

Katjaa shook her head, "If you think of one, let me know."

"Isn't there some sort of pill, or something we can just give him?" Kenny insisted.

"Stop it," Katjaa breathed shakily.

Kenny continued, distress obvious in his tone, "He can just drift off to sleep, right, hon? I mean, Jesus, this is our son," he tugged on his hair with both of his hands.

"I know," Katjaa persisted, "But we know it's...here, or nothing," she gestured at the side of her head with a finger.

Kenny ran out of ways to lie to himself, "Well...fuck...just...who, then?" he asked, his voice strained, "Do you want me to?"

Lee knew that neither parent would want to do it, and they wouldn't force that burden on each other. They shouldn't have to ever do something like that.

"I'll do it," Lee offered.

Katjaa shook her head, "No. It should be a parent."

"No parent should have to do something like this."

Kenny tipped his head down, "Lee's right, Kat. We can say our goodbyes and...just let that be it."

"I don't know..." Katjaa expressed, but then turned to Lee. She looked defeated, "Lee, you'd be doing this family a great service."

Her shoulders were slumped slightly as she suggested, "Why don't we take him into the forest - so Clementine doesn't have to see."

Kenny nodded at the ground, "Yeah..."

"Give us a moment, to say goodbye?" Katjaa pleaded.

"Of course," Lee replied, his already sorrowful frown growing deeper. He couldn't even begin to imagine what these two were going through.

Katjaa closed her eyes, freeing a pent-up sigh of sadness. She sniffed, and scooped Duck up into her arms, slinging him over her shoulder. She cradled the side of his head in a palm, using the other to keep him supported. Duck's arms hung limply around Katjaa's neck and at her side. He wheezed, his fragile breaths hardly visible.

Katjaa started towards the trees, her steps heavy. Kenny followed a few seconds behind.

Clementine watched heartbreakingly as they walked away. "What's happening?" she asked quietly, her sad amber eyes filling Lee with despair.

How was he supposed to explain this? He didn't want Clementine to be even more depressed than she already was about losing her closest friend she'd had.

"I'm going to...take care of Duck," he explained gently, meeting Clementine's gaze.

"I thought he was going to die," she whimpered.

"I'm going to make sure he's okay," Lee didn't know what else to say. In a way, it was true. He was making sure Duck didn't feel any more pain.

"But how? He's bitten," she asked.

Lee looked off towards the forest. Kenny, Katjaa and Duck had already disappeared from sight into the trees, "By making sure he doesn't come back," Lee placed a hand on Clementine's shoulder.

The girl looked at her feet, "Oh."

Lee knew that things had to get better. They would; they had to.

"Look Clem, things will-"

His sentence was interrupted by a sharp bang blaring in the air from the woods.

_A gunshot._

"NOO!" Kenny's voice rang out from the woods.

Lee's head whipped around towards Clem, "Clementine! Get into the train," he instructed firmly. She vigorously nodded, her gaze full of fear, and climbed quickly into the boxcar. She hurried towards Carley, who was standing rigidly with her eyes widened.

Lee swiveled around and raced into the forest. Trees spun by and leaves crunched under his feet as he sprinted towards where he heard Kenny's call of distress. The air was cold, and it spread to his lungs with every breath he took; but that was nothing compared to the icy dread weighing in his bones.

When he finally came across them, his heart froze.

Katjaa lay motionless, a growing puddle of blood pooling around her head. Loosely gripped in one of her hands was a handgun. Her eyes were blank and clouded, staring unfocused into the sky above.

Kenny was crouched over his wife, his hand on her shoulder.

"Why, Kat? Honey, oh fuckin' God..." he sobbed. Whimpers escaped him as tears ran tracks down his face.

Duck sat at an angle, leaned against a tree. He was unresponsive except for his rasping breaths that rattled his whole body. There were dark circles around his eyes and the rest of his skin was pasty and had an unnatural tint.

"Oh my God..." Lee whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief. There was no way...

"I...I..." Kenny choked out through the tears. He reached up his hand and closed Katjaa's unseeing eyes gently with two fingers.

He sniffed, and turned his head to look at his son. Duck didn't even look like he was seeing any of this, to exhausted to move his head the slightest bit.

Kenny delicately pried the gun from Katjaa's cold fingers. He stood, and took his place in front of Duck. Lee stepped next to him. They both watched a moment as Duck lied there, struggling for breath.

"What do we do?" Kenny asked helplessly, glancing at Lee.

Kenny had seen to much. Lee was worried that if Kenny had to shoot his son...he wouldn't want to continue living, and he'd join Katjaa.

"Give me the gun, Ken. I'll do it."

Kenny paused before he placed the gun into Lee's hands, taking a few steps back.

Lee lifted the gun, aiming at Duck's forehead. Suddenly, it felt so much heavier. This gun defined lives; whether it's saving them...or taking them away.

And he fired.


End file.
